In the bottom half of the draw, things were more straightforward for the other major favourite, Romane Dicko (FRA). The 2022 world champion and double Olympic medallist is one of the most established figures in the category. Her three World Judo Masters titles, 13 grand slam medals including nine golds, seven European titles and two grand prix victories speak for themselves.
Without any real difficulty, Dicko secured her place in the final, where she would meet Arai. The challenge proved too great against the Japanese judoka, inspired by the performances of her delegation and encouraged throughout the contest by her national teammates, from the stands. In the end, that support carried her to victory as she secured a hold down that forced Dicko to submit, capturing the gold medal.
Mao Arai said, "It feels amazing to win here, especially since it’s been about two years since my last victory, at the 2024 Tokyo Grand Slam. After finishing second at the world championships, I am truly happy to take first place. To prepare, I spent a lot of time with my coaches analysing my past losses, including my contest against Roman Dicko, and practised extensively.
With every grand slam now serving as an Olympic qualifier, the environment is entirely different. The competition has intensified because so many athletes are fighting for qualification points. This makes the next two years incredibly challenging as everyone grows stronger, but I am determined to keep pushing forward without losing.
My next tournament is the world championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, where my goal is to win and secure the red backnumber. I must say that since starting judo at age ten, I have always dreamed of becoming an Olympic champion and winning the mixed team gold in Los Angeles would mean everything to me because it represents the combined strength of the entire team, not just individual effort."
Hershko’s early disqualification offered Asya Tavano (ITA) an unexpected opportunity in the repechage to fight for a place on the podium against Helena Vukovic (CRO). She transformed that opportunity into a medal during golden score, securing a five-second hold down for a yuko. Tavano therefore claimed the third medal for the Italian delegation in Mongolia, a fine collective achievement.
The other French judoka in action, Célia Cancan (FRA), who had been eliminated by Dicko earlier in the draw, faced Emma-Melis Aktas (EST) in the contest for the second bronze medal. The contest remained undecided for a long time, with neither Cancan nor Aktas able to create any real danger. It was during golden score that Cancan secured her second grand slam medal, scoring a yuko with an o-uchi-gari on the edge of the contest area.